It's a very interesting note you make about the role of the media, because I think the current criticisms largely have to do with how outsiders get their information, and how this information is disseminated.
As steampunk hits the mainstream, news outlets are going to go to the largest, most visible figures available. And, to be frank, those sources --the main representatives of the steampunk community-- are mostly white. And so most perspectives talking about steampunk subculture are, more likely than not, going to be affected by the speakers' white privilege. Not to say that issues of race, colonialism and cultural appropriation won't be addressed by white speakers, but that the community as a whole has issues of privilege--and so does mainstream media. And thus, both parties would more likely not realize the privilege they have, which results in silencing marginalized voices.
By and large, however, I have to say that I've been impressed by the ally support that people of color are gaining in the movement, and that slowly, that presence is growing. And some news sources are better than others in getting inclusive coverage (for instance, the infamous New York Times article on steampunk a couple of years ago also featured the James Gang, who are black performers based out of Harlem: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/08/fashion/08PUNK.html).
The simple fact that Nisi, Jha, Amal, and I were even *asked* to blog for Tor--the largest sci-fi publisher in the US-- is *very* significant. And even before Tor, I had received a lot of support from white allies in the community such as Jake von Slatt, Jeff Vandermeer, C. Allegra Hawksmoor, and Michael Perschon. Those names might mean nothing to you, but all of them are prominent figures in the community, people who *do* get interviewed by those media sources.
I think in terms of community dynamics, people are just now starting to realize that we are here. Of course, as the media grapples with the steampunk subculture, coverage can always be imperfect -- news stories are only as representative as the reporters who write them after all. And the community as a whole is still only at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to being self-reflective enough about their own issues. But so far, steps are being taken in the right direction.
On another note, I can speak from a publisher's insider perspective about Clementine. This book is a novella not originally part of Cherie's book contract with Tor, which is why it got sold to Subterranean for a limited run. But the instant success of that run--copies were all sold out from presales-- prompted Tor to pick it up for wider distribution. And I myself can't wait to read it. ^_^
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2010-11-05 11:34 pm (UTC)As steampunk hits the mainstream, news outlets are going to go to the largest, most visible figures available. And, to be frank, those sources --the main representatives of the steampunk community-- are mostly white. And so most perspectives talking about steampunk subculture are, more likely than not, going to be affected by the speakers' white privilege. Not to say that issues of race, colonialism and cultural appropriation won't be addressed by white speakers, but that the community as a whole has issues of privilege--and so does mainstream media. And thus, both parties would more likely not realize the privilege they have, which results in silencing marginalized voices.
By and large, however, I have to say that I've been impressed by the ally support that people of color are gaining in the movement, and that slowly, that presence is growing. And some news sources are better than others in getting inclusive coverage (for instance, the infamous New York Times article on steampunk a couple of years ago also featured the James Gang, who are black performers based out of Harlem: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/08/fashion/08PUNK.html).
The simple fact that Nisi, Jha, Amal, and I were even *asked* to blog for Tor--the largest sci-fi publisher in the US-- is *very* significant. And even before Tor, I had received a lot of support from white allies in the community such as Jake von Slatt, Jeff Vandermeer, C. Allegra Hawksmoor, and Michael Perschon. Those names might mean nothing to you, but all of them are prominent figures in the community, people who *do* get interviewed by those media sources.
I think in terms of community dynamics, people are just now starting to realize that we are here. Of course, as the media grapples with the steampunk subculture, coverage can always be imperfect -- news stories are only as representative as the reporters who write them after all. And the community as a whole is still only at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to being self-reflective enough about their own issues. But so far, steps are being taken in the right direction.
On another note, I can speak from a publisher's insider perspective about Clementine. This book is a novella not originally part of Cherie's book contract with Tor, which is why it got sold to Subterranean for a limited run. But the instant success of that run--copies were all sold out from presales-- prompted Tor to pick it up for wider distribution. And I myself can't wait to read it. ^_^